


For Science

by thesoundofnat



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Confessions, Fluff, For Science!, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Pre-Slash, Tony Being Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 21:39:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15805095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoundofnat/pseuds/thesoundofnat
Summary: “My help?”“For science.”“Ah.” Tony had never directly asked for his help before. Steve felt oddly honored. “What can I do for you?”“I need you to hug me.”“Pardon?”(Or, Tony picks up the habit of labelling everything he does "for science”. Steve doesn’t realize just why at first.)





	For Science

It had confused Steve at first, but he’d never been one to claim he understood everything about Tony Stark, so he hadn’t questioned it until it started affecting him almost exclusively.

The first time he remembered being directly involved, the statement had been so random that it would’ve been impossible to miss it. A night after a battle, rarely quiet as they all recovered in various ways, had found Steve perusing the library Tony had installed in one of the floors of the Tower. The sound of pages being turned, books returned to their spot since Steve was having trouble concentrating. And then, a door opening. And then, a greeting.

“There you are,” Tony said after Steve had turned to meet his gaze. “Why are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding,” Steve replied. “Just-”

“Recharging?”

“Something like that.”

Tony’s lips twitched. “I can respect that. Sorry for barging in on you.”

“Oh, it’s fine. I’m not reading, as you can probably see.” Steve wasn’t sure why he gestured to the countless of bookcases lining up the space with very exaggerated movements, but he did, and he felt like a fool immediately. Something about Tony made him lose control of his limbs. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, actually.”

“Me?”

“Uh huh. I need your help.”

“My help?”

“For science.”

“Ah.” Tony had never directly asked for his help before. Steve felt oddly honored. “What can I do for you?”

“I need you to hug me.”

“Pardon?”

Had Steve not been so utterly lost in his own confusion he might’ve noticed just how hard Tony was trying to conceal his flustered state with nonchalance. But at the time he’d only been able to focus on the request and the air of ‘ _I don’t give a fuck_ ’ that Tony was giving off, and it was quite off putting, to be completely honest.

But… they’d never hugged before. Not properly. Steve wasn’t about to verbally admit how often this fact had bothered him, but here Tony was, giving him something he’d been craving for a while. Who was he to deny them both this chance?

“I need you to hug me,” Tony repeated. “I’m doing this experiment and I need to hug everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“In the Tower. Maybe a few people who don’t live here too.”

“Oh.” Steve wasn’t sure why he was disappointed. “Can I ask why? I mean, what does the experiment entail?”

“Well, firstly I’m trying to analyze the way people might respond differently to such an odd request. It’s quite fun.”

“And secondly?”

Tony seemed to hesitate, if only for a second. “Well, the second part of the experiment involves me asking people to describe the hug.”

“I don’t question your intentions, but… why this experiment?”

He shrugged. “Dunno. I wanted to analyze something that wasn’t about life or death.”

Steve understood it then. Tony was doing this for fun.

He opened his arms, trying to not be awkward. Trying to ignore how badly he suddenly wanted to throw himself at the other man and never let go. “I’m not one to stand in the way of scientific research.”

Tony grinned, took a step closer, and they hugged. And it was way too brief.

Steve might’ve been able to pick up the phrase Tony kept using whenever he needed something from Steve, but he was quite frankly too occupied wishing the hug could get a sequel. Whatever the hell he’d babbled out when he was asked to describe it probably didn’t come close to how warm he’d felt at all.

“Hey, Cap?”

Steve looked up, trying to calm his frantic heart. “Yes?”

“Can you help me out for a sec?”

Of course he could. Tony could ask him in the middle of a battle and Steve probably would drop everything. “Sure. What’s up?”

Tony seemed embarrassed. “I need a certain bowl, but- well, I can’t reach it. It’s too high.” He pointed to the open cupboard, grumbling as he did, and Steve felt himself smile. He couldn’t help it. “Yeah, yeah, stop laughing at me and help, will you?”

“I’m not laughing!” But he did allow his grin to grow as he stood, walking over to where Tony was frowning by the counter. “Why do you need that bowl in particular anyway?”

“For science.”

“Right. For science.” Steve reached up, exposing his lower stomach to the air as he grabbed the bowl easily. “God forbid you use the other dozen bowls we own.” We own. Way to turn this domestic, Rogers.

“This one’s bigger, okay?” He took it from Steve with a grateful nod, and Steve was just about to ask what, exactly, he was planning on doing with it, when Tony reached out to squeeze his hand, which promptly shut him up.

Tony winked, and maybe Steve would’ve seen how uncertain he felt had he not been stunned by the action.

“For science,” Tony said and left, and Steve started feeling as if he now understood that phrase a little better.

* * *

 

After that day - and this had possibly been going on for longer without Steve realizing - everything Tony did that involved Steve was labelled as ‘for science.’ In order to not give a proper reason. In order to have a reason to do things. Steve couldn’t say he minded, but it did confuse him, just like Tony had been doing since day one.

It was the sweetest kind of confusion, though.

“I made you breakfast.”

Steve, freshly showered after his morning jog, pushed his still wet hair out of his eyes to blink at Tony. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know. I did it for science.”

“Science, huh?”

Tony shrugged, scooping the last pancake out of the pan and onto a plate. “Wanted to see your reaction.”

“Do you do everything for my reaction?”

“Your reaction is the most interesting one.”

Steve smiled. He had a feeling Tony wasn’t saying everything he was feeling, but who was he to push? “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

“They’re not all for you, mind you. I’ll have a few as well.”

He entered the kitchen fully. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Neither of them mentioned the other Avengers living under their roof. This moment was theirs, whatever that meant.

Steve grabbed the plate. “Guess I’ll have some then. For science.”

“For science,” Tony repeated, and they shared their first but certainly not last breakfast together.

Steve soon found himself longing for that phrase, knowing it would mean an interaction, maybe even a prolonged one. Knowing that, whatever Tony needed, he needed it from him.

And then it all turned sour.

A battle gone wrong had left more than one of them injured, and Steve looked at Clint’s broken arm, took in the scratches covering Natasha’s face, and felt more self loathing than he had in years. He should’ve been able to prevent that.

“Hey.” Tony found him in the library again, only this time Steve wasn’t even pretending to find the books interesting. “There you are.”

Steve met his gaze, but didn’t move from the spot he’d occupied on the floor. “Have you been looking for long?”

“No. I think deep down I knew you were here.”

“Took you a while to get here.”

“I guess I just wanted to make sure you got some space before I invaded it.”

Tony crossed the room and didn’t even hesitate before sitting down beside him. Steve had so many things at the tip of his tongue, ready to spill, but he wasn’t able to say a single one of them.

He swallowed. “Are you okay?”

Tony tilted his head at him. “I find you almost curled up on the floor alone and you ask me if  _I’m_ okay?”

“I meant physically. No injuries?”

“Oh. No. No injuries.” He pressed their shoulders together so briefly Steve almost believed it was an accident. “You?”

“I’m all right.”

“Emotionally?”

Steve snorted. “I’m fucking useless.”

“Hey, now.”

Steve pointed to the door. “They trust me to lead them, and all I do is fail them.”

“How exactly did you fail them?”

“I-”

“We beat the guy, didn’t we?”

“People were injured.”

“People will always get injured, Steve. It’s either that or death. I think we’ve done a good job so far of preventing the latter.”  _Usually_ , is what he didn’t add.

Steve was shaking his head. “Clint’s good arm is broken.”

“And it will heal, just like it did the last time he broke it. Seriously, you think those guys haven’t been beaten bloody before?” Tony grabbed his wrist, not feigning anything now. “Stop blaming yourself for things you couldn’t help.”

Steve couldn’t look at him, but he felt himself relaxing under his touch. “I… I’m glad you’re here.”

Tony’s hand journeyed down to grab his hand, squeezing it once. “I had to come. You know, for science.”

Steve withdrew his hand immediately. “Is everything about science to you?” He hadn’t realized how sharp his voice would be, and he almost felt bad for it when Tony recoiled.

“What do you mean?” he asked, eyebrows knitted together. Realizing he’d done something wrong.

“I mean that you can never just want me around for  _me_. It always has to be about science. A reason.”

“Steve-”

“At first I found it nice, you know? That you needed me. But now I’m starting to feel like a tool you need in your lab.”

“ _Steve_.”

Steve wasn’t sure when he’d heaved himself up, but he was crossing the room within seconds. “Tony, just- just leave me alone.”

“Will you let me  _explain_?” He was quick, Steve had to give him that. Pulling at Steve’s wrist, Tony made him pause in his steps by the doorway. “It was never about science.”

Steve exhaled slowly, almost sighing. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I don’t know how to fucking talk to you without seeming desperate, so I needed a reason.”

That… had not been what Steve had expected him to say. “What?”

“I like you, you goddamn idiot. I like you so much that I don’t know how to act normal around you.”

“So you just-”

“Used the ‘for science’ thing to hang out with you? Yes.” A blush was creeping up Tony’s neck, and Steve regretted the very moment he snapped. Tony wasn’t supposed to confess his feelings in this way.

Wait a second.

 _Feelings_.

“You have feelings for me?”

Tony shrugged, as if this wasn’t the best damn thing Steve had ever heard. “Can you blame me?”

“I honestly had no idea.”

“Steve, I make you food and make sure you have all you need and use the most stupid excuses to spend time with you. How can you be surprised?”

“Maybe I’m just that stupid.”

Tony shook his head. “Always undermining yourself.” His tone was so sad, so utterly low Steve almost wanted to hug him.

And that was when he realized he hadn’t told him he liked him just as much.

“Hey.”

Tony met his gaze, a hint of shyness there that Steve adored. “Yeah?”

He took a step closer. “I like you, too.” And he closed the gap, meeting Tony’s lips with his own. Devouring him like a starving man finally being shown some kindness.

Tony pressed himself close to him, hands cupping his face while Steve’s hands sought out the small of his back, hesitating ever so slightly. Unsure of where the boundaries now rested. The best part, though? Tony was smiling into the kiss the entire time.

“You’re good at this,” Tony mumbled when they broke apart for air. “You’re so goddamn good at this.”

Steve silenced him. They could talk afterward, when they were both satisfied. They could talk for the rest of their lives.

Later, when they were walking toward the elevator, Tony grabbed Steve’s hand.

“For science,” he said, smiling, and Steve had to laugh.

* * *

 

“Wait, why did you get me to bring stuff down from the highest shelf?”

“Uh, because I like the way your shirt rides up?”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Can’t help it.”

“Just kiss me, you idiot.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://thesoundofnat.tumblr.com/)!


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